In the bustling conference hall of the Williamsburg Hotel in Brooklyn, people from across the tri-state area gathered on November 14 to learn about making aliyah—or, at least, to learn about real estate in Israel and the other resources needed to move to a new home in Israel. The event, hosted by the New York chapter of the Israeli-American Council and sponsored by IMP International Group, featured over 40 exhibitors, there to address the needs of those moving, or thinking of moving, to Israel. The full day of programming included a lecture series from various experts, including real estate developers, attorneys, and aliyah specialists.
Attendees were engaged by all of the possibilities for living arrangements in Israel, from brand new apartment complexes to assisted living facilities for seniors. Each real estate company present was able to differentiate themselves with their offerings, fulfilling the different needs of those who want to settle in Israel in the near future. And, as many of the exhibitors expressed, now is the time to go: there has never been a better time to invest in Israeli real estate.
“There are two primary reasons why people should buy property in Israel now,” explained Gidon Katz, CEO of IMP. “One is to own a piece of land in Israel…which is a good enough reason on its own. The other is from an investment perspective: real estate is going up like crazy.”
Katz continued to explain that last year, Israeli real estate increased in value by 9%, simply because of supply and demand. Overall, purchasing land in a place like Israel, where demand comes from all over the world, is a sound investment.
Aharoni Neubauer of the Gush Etzion Development Company expressed a similar sentiment, adding that the new developments in the Gush region of Israel have sold like hot cakes. He explained that in one complex in Neve Daniel, one of several settlements in the Gush, 164 apartments sold immediately upon construction.
“As CEO, not only do I want people to buy new apartments, but I want those people to make aliyah,” Neubauer shared with The Jewish Link. “Whatever we sell, the profits go right back into developing the yeshuvim in the Gush and making communities better.”
Neubauer explained that to further the company’s Zionist vision, he reserved 34 of Gush Etzion’s best apartments specifically for American olim. When asked about whether Americans prefer houses or apartments, Neubauer stated that fortunately, Gush Etzion has become so saturated with residents that there are no more houses to develop—the region is all about its new apartment complexes. To that end, he continued that the Gush has become a place suited for “young couples, retirees, and even those in between, to follow their Zionist dreams and settle the land.”
For those who may be seeking something elsewhere, real estate companies like Noam Homes in Jerusalem offer home-search services “from A to Z,” said owner Noam Vasl. “We want to help people connect the dots to get the house that they want to make aliyah to…many are discouraged from making aliyah without the perfect home, but we push to work with clients to help them follow their aliyah dreams.” Vasl continued with an example of an American oleh he recently closed a deal with after five years of searching for the perfect place—“from a beautiful home to another beautiful home,” he remarked.
Overall, the event was buzzing with real estate deals being opened and closed within a matter of hours—something which IMP CEO Gidon Katz knew could only happen at an expo like this one. “In the real estate field, advertising is not enough; a deal is made face-to-face. This is why we put together these events that bring people together to meet sellers from Israel,” Katz told The Jewish Link.
“The American community is eager to be connected to Israel,” Katz shared. “One of the ways to practice that connection is to buy a piece of property in Israel. I’m confident that many deals were made here today.”
